Crafting a Curriculum: Gina Aikins ’26
Gina Aikins, a student in the Master of Advanced Management program, chose elective courses that would further her goal of building a career in product marketing.
Students in the Master of Advanced Management program have the opportunity to build their own slate of courses from diverse electives at Yale SOM and across the university. We asked students to explain how they customized their curricula and how they will apply lessons from their coursework at work.
Hometown: Accra, Ghana
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Favorite thing about New Haven: I love walking down Broadway and savoring Ashley's ice cream
Best place to study: Marx Library
How did you approach choosing your electives and shaping your customized curriculum?
I chose my electives with both career goals and personal interests in mind. Having built my career in customer-facing roles, I want to pivot into product marketing, so I focused on courses like Marketing Strategy, Consumer Behavior, and New Product Development. At the same time, my passion for sustainability, sparked by an environmental project in my previous school, led me to take a course in Corporate Sustainability at the Yale School of Environment. The flexibility at SOM has allowed me to design a curriculum that balances professional growth with personal curiosity.
What surprised you about the coursework available to you?
The flexibility to take courses across Yale’s schools was quite remarkable, something I hadn’t experienced before. I was also struck by how practical the coursework felt; the case-based approach makes classes highly interactive and pushes me to think more like a decision-maker than a student.
What are your favorite electives so far and why?
By far, I would say Consumer Behavior with Professor Joowon Klusowski is my favorite. She makes the class exciting and very engaging. Instead of relying on exhaustive slides, we’re encouraged to brainstorm and share perspectives, which really keeps me on my toes. The course feels practical and relatable, and I always look forward to it.
How are you hoping to apply your coursework in your career?
I look forward to translating the insights from both my elective and core courses into a deeper understanding of how products are positioned and launched in the market. The interactive case-based learning is strengthening my ability to analyze problems quickly and from multiple angles, which is directly relevant to product marketing, project management, and consulting—these main career roles I'm currently exploring. More broadly, the team-based work is preparing me to thrive in roles that require strategic thinking, strong collaboration, and time management.
